Folding table.



\ A. ABRAHAM. FOLDING TABLE.

' PatentedAug. 21, 1917.

3 $HEETS-SHEET I- I Eiiliil WWW A. ABRAHAM.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION HLED S'EPT. 6. 19|6.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2:

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A. ABRAHAM.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 6. me.

Paten ted Aug. 21, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

[lHbra/zam UNITED STATES PATENT ormcn.

ADOLPH ABRAHAM, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS..

romaine TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

Application filed September 6, 1916. Serial No. 118,700.

improvements in tables, the primary object of my invention being the provision of a table having folding legs which may be swung against the under face of the table top when not in use in order that the table may be packed or stored in'a relatively small space.

A further object of my invention is to so attach the legs to the table and connect them to each other that all of the legs will be simultaneously swung to active or inactive position and will serve to brace each other when in active position.

A still further object of my invention con sists in providing the under face of the table body or top with braces or cleats and in constructing the adjacent ends of the table legs to engage these braces or cleats so as to strengthen both the table top and leg structure.

Another object which I have in view is the provision of a table of the above described character formed in hinged sections adapted to be folded together when the legs are swung against the under face of the table and having a table drop or box, the edges of the two sections of which-abut each other to inclosethe legs when the table. is completely folded.

With these and other objects in view, my invention will be more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and then specifically pointed out in the claim which is attached to and forms a part of this application.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a table constructed in accordance withmy invention, showing the table in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the table with the legs folded or swung against the bottom of the table top; I v

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the table in the condition shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a verticalsectional view taken through the line H of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section taken drawlngs. It is to permit the through, interengaging table legs to show the. connection between them;

Fig. 6 is an inside elevational view of one of the table legs, slot therein; Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of table construction;

Fig. 8 is a .bottom plan view of the table shown in Fig. 7, showing the legs in folded position;

showing a channel or guide Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of l the table shown in Figs. 7 and 8 when fully closed or folded.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

7 Referring first to the simpler form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings, the table comprises a body or top properlO, a pair of legs 11 and a second pair of legs 12. The table top may be of any desired shape, such as square, elliptical or, as shown, circular and is provided upon its under face with transverse "'"p'arallel spaced braces or cleats 13 which are secured to the table top in any suitable manner. The opposed side faces of fthese'cleats are beveled, as shown at 14, fora reason which will be hereinafter apparent.

Each of the legs 11 and each of the legs 12 is connected to the under face of the table top by a hinge 15, oneleaf of which is bent to offset the pintle portion of the hinge from the legs so that when the legs are folded against the under face of the table and, consequently, in engagement with the cleats, they may extend parallel with the table top. The upper ends of the legs are notched or cut-away, as shown at 16, to engage against the inner side faces and lower faces of the cleats or braces 13 when swun to extended position, as clearly shown in ig. 1 of the notched, ends of the legs to swin into and out of proper engagement with t ese cleats that the inner faces of the cleats are beveled. Obviously, any strain exerted upon the legs by the table top and'articles imposed thereon will be taken up partially by the table top faces will engage against the inner faces of the legs 11 and these latter legs, adjacent their lower ends are connected by a trans verse brace 17 which'prevents spreading of either pair of legs under strain. The inner pair of legs 12 are connected by diagonally extending crossed braces 18, the ends of which engage or are 'tenoned into the inner faces of the legs, the braces being mortised intermediate their length to provide a scarf joint. The transverse brace 17 is so disposed as to rest against the lower face of the table top immediately outside one of the cleats 13 when the legs are infolded position and a turn button 19 secured to the adjacent cleat may be swung over the brace to secure the legs 11 and, for a reason which will be later explained, the legs 12 in folded position.

The inner face of each of the outer legs 11 is formed from a point adjacent its hinged end and centrally of its widthwith a longitudinal groove or channel 20 which, as best shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, extends somewhat diagonally along the length of the leg to a point substantially midway of the length of the leg, at which point it is curved inwardly and back upon itself to provide a stop seat 21. Pins 22 having elongated cylindrical .heads 23 have their shanks passed through washers 24:, through intermediate portions of the. inner legs, through washers 25 disposed against the inner faces of the inner legs, and, are headed over, as shown at 26. The head portions of these pins seat in the grooves 20 and serve as a sliding connection between the legs 11 and the legs 12.

In operation, assuming that the table is folded, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the button 19 is first turned to release the legs. Upon holding the table with its under face down, the legs will fall by gravity to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, the pins running through the slots 20 until they reach the lower ends of the slots. When the table is then seated to bring the lower ends of the legs in engagement with the floor or other support, the weight of the table will cause the pins to pass into the curved ends or seats 21 of the slots so that they will hold or look the legs in extended position. The table may at any time be refolded by reversing the above described operation.

In Figs. 7 to 9 of the drawings I have illustrated a somewhat modified form of table construction which is particularly adapted for large tables of rectangular or elliptical shape, the arrangement being such that the table itself may be formed in sections'hinged to swing into alinement with 'each other when the table is in use or to fold against each other when the table is out of use. As best shown in Figs. 7 and 8, this table includes substantially rectangular comenace operating top sections 27 and. 28, the abutting edge of one section being formed with a groove to seat a rib or tongue formed upon the abutting edge of the other section when the sections are in alinement with each other, as indicated at 29. Each section is provided along its side edges and outer and edge with depending braces 30 forming, when the table is open, a table drop or box 31. Each table section is also provided adjacent its inner end edge with a transverse slot connection with the outer legs as in the earlier construction, turn buttons 37 being provided for securing the legs in inactive position. I

Hinges/38 are connected to the abutting ends of the side portions of the table drop or box to connect the table sections, as clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings. These hinges include substantially L-shaped hinge plates 39 which engage against the lower and inner faces of the drop sections and are so formed and connected to the drop sections that the two sections of the table may be folded against each other, when the legs are in inactive position. The depth of the drop or table box is such that that portion of the drop carried by each table section incloses and forms a housing for the legs of such section when they are folded and when the table is folded the free edges of the drop sections'engage each other, as shown in Fig. 9 so that the table may be stored in a relatively small space.

To prevent upward buckling of the intermediate portion of the table, when in use, and to relieve the hinges 38 of the greater portion of their strain, I provide latches 40 which are secured to the lower face of the table top of one section and which cooperate with keepers 41 secured to the lower face of the tabletop of the other section, the keepers being provided with studs 42 to enter openings in the hinged latch plates 43, as will be readily appreciated by reference to Figs. 7 and 8. In setting up a table of the above described type, the table sections are swung into alinement with each other and the latches swung into engagement with the keepers to lock the sections in such position. The legs of the sections are then brought to active position, in the manner described with the simpler form of table, after which theft/able is ready for use.

Although I have illustrated and described my invention in all its details of construction, it will of course be understood that I do not wish to be limited to such details, but reserve the right to make any changes, within the scope of the appended claim, without in the slightest degree departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a table construction a table top, a pair of legs hinged to the table top and connected to each other, a second pair of legs hinged to the table top and connected to each other and adapted to swing between the first pair 15 of legs, and pins carried by one pair of legs and engaging in slots formed in the other pair of legs, dinally of the legs from points'adjacent their upper ends to points adjacent their intermediate portions and having said latter ends curved and extended slightly toward the former ends.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ADOLPH ABRAHAM. s

the slots being formed longitu- 

